for honeys

boy brow

I’ve had my eyes peeled for a Glossier mascara for a while now. Follow Annie (@annieokay) on Instagram? She’s Glossier’s Executive Editor. If you don’t, now might be a good time to hit that follow button – because I’ve gotten some pretty good clues about upcoming products from her Instagram stories & Instagram livestreams.

Quite a while back, Annie did a livestream where she was getting ready for some sort of event – I don’t remember the details, but I do remember that she applied the Tom Ford Patent Finish Lip Color (“a liquid lip color that combines a lip stain with an ultra-glossy finish”), which is a ridiculously expensive & luxurious lip product that I’ve been eyeing ever since…& that she did her brows with Boy Brow(brown) & then started applying mascara. She didn’t mention the name.

I commented: “mascara brand? I have Diorshow & love it but am always on the lookout for a mascara that’s even MORE holy grail.”

A few other people asked questions in a similar vein. Annie smiled, & said “just a mascara,” leaving it at that. A bunch of eye emoji comments rolled in, a few pleas for more details…but that was it! Annie was done talking. She finished her face.

Ever since I saw that – & saw how careful Annie was to keep the packaging of the mascara out of site (even though it most likely was just in product development) – I’ve had my eyes peeled for more eye makeup from Glossier. I thought that that would be The Product of the year for Glossier: a mascara is a big product to launch, because it’s one of the most widely used makeup products. I was surprised to see the Lidstar shadows launch first (check out that review here) though I had been expecting to see some kind of eyeshadow/eye tint…again, thanks to Annie’s cryptic swatches that showed up from time to time on her Instagram story.

When Lidstar launched, I thought that that would be it for Glossier for a while. Eyeshadows are another big product to launch, & I expected a little more time to pass before we got our mascara. I was wrong. Less than three months after Lidstar’s launch, I got a mystery package from Glossier. As a rep, I sometimes get early access to products – this time, there was a single product box, similar in packaging to a Lidstar shadow or a Boy Brow brow gel. This one was labelled “Lash Slick.” I also got an email: don’t share photos or info before the product launches…but don’t worry, the product is launching soon! Glossier wasn’t lying. Just a few days after I received my Lash Slick, Glossier’s first mascara went live on their site for $16 USD, $20 CAD, & $14 GBP (don’t worry Frenchies: Glossier’s coming to you real soon).

So – what’s Lash Slick all about? The name sounds a little racy, I won’t lie. Is that because it’s smooth? Is it a marketing ploy? Is it both? After trying it, I’d have to go with both – but let’s walk through some of the product claims & what I think about them after trying Lash Slick.

“248 formulations later: the perfect everyday mascara. Lash Slick curls and sculpts as it lengthens, enhancing the look of your natural lashes instead of clumping them together or spackling them in product. Teeny-tiny fibers coat lashes from root to tip to create a lengthened baby-extension, while flexible film-forming polymers lift and lock each fiber into place. And it’s water-resistant (not waterproof), so Lash Slick washes off easy with warm water at the end of your day.”

248 formulations sure is a lot. Glossier provided a lot of photos on their Instagram of various wands that were tried; various tubes that didn’t work & so forth & so on. It does certainly seem as though they’ve put a lot of effort into it – both from the product description &, ultimately, how I feel about the appearance & sensation of the product. Okay. So – Glossier’s been working hard on Lash Slick. Why’d it take this long to get here? What’s specifically special about it?

It’s water-resistant, but not water-proofThat sounds dangerous – I thought that it would definitely run/flake if I started to cry or went in the rain…but that wasn’t the case. I tried both (mostly crying, but a quick CVS run in the rain happened, too) & the mascara doesn’t flake. It sticks right onto your lashes without feeling crunchy or stiff.

It still sounds dangerous – that’s because I’m paranoid of water-proof mascaras. I was wary that “water-resistant” would hurt/pull at my lashes. If I couldn’t cry it off, would I be able to gently remove it with warm water without yanking out some of my precious lash hairs? The answer to that: Yes. I can gently remove it with warm water without losing precious lashes. A pump of Milky Jelly Cleanser (my holy grail cleanser) massaged with that warm water works even more beautifully. I worked in gentle, circular motions with my warm water/MJC combination, & I had clean, dry lashes within a minute – no raccoon eyes here! That was a big factor in how much I ended up liking it. If a mascara is difficult to remove, I drop it quicker than a hot potato. This one fits my strangely specific criteria: “easy to remove – not waterproof – but doesn’t come off when crying.” Hard to believe that there’s something like that out there now, but here I am, claiming that Lash Slick did exactly that for me.

It’s…shiny?I know. That doesn’t sound great at first, does it? Hear me out: it doesn’t look like your lashes are coated in thick, greasy paint. It’s more of an enhancement. Your lashes don’t look shiny, but the “Natural Shine Polymers enhance the formula’s black pigment so lashes are extra shiny & sleek.” Basically, with that “natural shine,” Lash Slick is creating an illusion of longer, healthier lashes. That’s something I’m always here for

You don’t need a lash curler!!!!!!!If you know anything about my makeup routine, you know that 1. I hardly wear mascara in the first place 2. When I do, I always curl my lashes. I feel like I can’t get the lift that I want if I don’t curl them – I have long lashes, & though they curl upwards when I don’t wear mascara, they stick straight out when I apply (most) mascaras. The weight of the mascara is too much for my little lashes to handle while maintaining their curl. The closest I ever got to not needing a curler was Benefit’s Roller Lash Mascara (which is a big favorite all over the world at this point) but the brush felt too I poked myself in the eye a few times, then decided it wasn’t worth it (is it odd that most of my endeavors to love Benefit products – ex. their Gimme Brow! brow gel & their Roller Lash Mascara – led to me finding Glossier products that are cheaper & more effective?). I shelved Benefit Roller Lash over a year ago & switched to Diorshow mascara – just the original one, in Black. I blame Bella Hadid’s millennial marketing campaign for getting me to notice Dior’s mascara, but hey…that was clearly the point, & it is a good mascara. However, for me to get the maximum feathered & curled effect that I wanted (& zero clumps) it took a good curl, a coat or two of mascara, & then a careful brushing session with a spoolie. Effective? Yes. Time-consuming? Absolutely. If there’s an easier way, I’ll always opt for that…& Lash Slick has, so far, given me a cheaper, quicker, easier way to achieve a lash look that I actually enjoy. Less tools, less time, but just as good (if not better) lashes.=

Tapered Comb Brush (made of rubber)This application brush is described as “sleek, comb-like.” It separates your lashes, kind of like a spoolie brush would. It also grabs your lashes at the very root, lifting, curling, & defining. The rubber makes sure you don’t have too much product on your hands – which eliminates any danger of clumps. I know some people like that thick, spider-lash formula for mascara, & if that’s the case, this one isn’t for you (unless you layered something else on top & used this as a curling mascara). For me, however, it was a big plus. I prefer individual separate lashes, even when I’m wearing mascara. This one does what Roller Lash & Diorshow do combined.

The lashes get extra definition &, therefore, extra pigment. Your lashes are natural-looking, but are long, fluffy, & super pretty when you blink.

It really does last 12 hoursGlossier claims that Lash Slick will not run if in contact with light water (tears, rain, sweat, etc.) & will last up to 12 hours. They weren’t lying. Yours truly had a good few crying sessions in the two days I tested Lash Slick, & there was no runny mascara, no lashes that had nothing on them while others had excess…it doesn’t look like the typical mascara does – that’s where the water-resistant part really helps.

Sometimes, mascara can get a little too crunchy. This one was very soft at the beginning of the day but was getting a little stiff by the time I took it off (worn for 12 hours). It wouldn’t keep me from purchasing it, because I really only noticed it for the last 2-3 hours or so of wear. It’s not uncomfortable; it’s just noticeable if you were to touch your lashes (which I did while testing the mascara) it’d be stiffer by EOD than when you first applied it.

Though this one was sent a few days before release to test, I will be refilling my Lash Slick, because this one mascara does everything I want & used to need to achieve that effect. It’s a cheaper, more effective way to do your mascara. I haven’t done the “swipe on mascara & go” look with Lash Slick, simply because I never have made that my “emergency” makeup routine. However, the way Lash Slick looked with eyeshadow…I’m curious to see how it’d look by itself. I think that’s going to be in my next round of new things to try.

I’d call this the Boy Brow of mascaras. It’s effective, it’s easy, it’s affordable. I’m glad it took Glossier hundreds of attempts & more than a year to develop: for me, this product is absolutely living up to its claims – doing better, even – while not pricing high as a Benefit mascara (mid $20s) or Diorshow, which is almost $30. This gives me a combined effect of the two, in fact – & I will only have to fork over $16. I’ll take ten more right now, actually.

I’ve never finished a tube of mascara before because I don’t wear it often enough – it dries out before I get to the bottom. However, there’s a first for everything, & Glossier’s made a few “firsts” happen…let’s see if this is the first one you’ll see me finish. History might be made!

It’s now possible to make an entire eye look just out of Glossier makeup: Lidstar for eyeshadow, Lash Slick for mascara, & Boy Brow for brows. Done.

Lash Slick, Lidstar in Moon, & Boy Brow in Brown

Have you tried Lash Slick yet – or if not, will you be buying it? Let me know!

As you know, I’m a rep for Glossier! That means that when you shop with me, you’re not only getting products that you (hopefully) like, you’re also helping me out! I get a percentage of the sales…which helps me buy different products to review for all of you, get some Starbucks (you probably know my order) &, yes, gives me the opportunity to have a job! I’m chronically ill, & my current physical condition makes it pretty much impossible for me to work retail, food service, or any other job that requires standing, shifts, etc. So this is a wonderful opportunity for me to earn money, for something about which I’m so passionate: skin care, & healthy skin!

But since I’m a rep for Glossier, that means that I might be pushing you guys to buy things that I might not even like…just because I get paid for it. That’s a totally reasonable suspicion. All the YouTube scandals about beauty gurus talking about products that are bad quality because they have affiliate codes have raised suspicion among customers.

HOWEVER. I knew all of this coming into the Glossier Rep Program. I’d been using Glossier for about a year (with my own money) by the time I was accepted into the program in April. I already knew what I liked, & what I didn’t like. & I have shared that on social media before! I am very careful to tell you guys what I love, & what I think you could pass on (depending on your skin type).

Also, since everyone’s skin is different, that means that the same product (Glossier or otherwise) might work completely differently on someone else’s skin. For example, I have friends who rave about Glossier’s Face Mist. They can’t get enough of it. I prefer my Mario Badescu facial spray! I have friends who hate Super Pure Serum…Super Pure is my absolute favorite Glossier serum! I’ve seen beauty bloggers say Glossier’s sunscreen made them red & irritated when that wasn’t the case for me.

My point? Everyone has different opinions about the same product! That’s because everyone’s skin is different. I never post about the Glossier products I don’t like…because I don’t like the way they work for me! At the same time, I’ll see someone else post about the product I don’t like, raving about it. Do I think they’re being “fake?” Honestly, no. I try to see the best in everyone, & it’s very possible that that person truly does like that product…because, again – everyone’s skin is different.

So, without further ado, here are my all-time favorite Glossier products (some skin care, some makeup) that I will unashamedly blast my love for. Because they’re affordable, they’re pretty, & they work for me. Have a different opinion? That’s absolutely fine! We’re all different, & not everything works for everyone. But here’s the things that I love – & I hope that you’ll give them a try, & love them too. (Side note: Glossier’s GTeam is very responsive, helpful, & will always let you return a product you don’t like. Once, I mistakenly ordered two Balm Dotcoms & asked for a refund for one so I could return it. They just told me to keep the extra, & refunded me anyway. Say what you like about Glossier…but that’s good customer service.)

Milky Jelly Cleanser

My introduction to “Skin Is In.” This is probably…scratch that. I don’t even know how many bottles I’ve used, actually. The product that started it all for me. Milky Jelly was my first introduction to a non-foaming cleanser. I was super skeptical – aren’t cleansers supposed to foam to get dirt off? – but I changed my tune about a week later, when I saw softer, clearer, more moisturized skin. No more feeling tight, & a whole lot less blemishes – probably because the cleanser I’d been using before was too dry, causing micro abrasions – which, as you know, are an invitation for bacteria to set up camp on your face. It smells floral, but isn’t stuffy, & the velvety texture is addictive. It removes makeup, including mascara (as long as it isn’t waterproof) & can be used on wet & dry skin. It lasts a good while, even if you use it twice a day (like I usually do). I use two pumps in the morning, two pumps in the evening, & it lasts me 1.5-2 months (I always have backups, though. Because I’m paranoid). I wish they had a travel size, because it’s too big to take with me on flights…but I just use a little container & pump some in. Infinite love for this tubby little bottle.

Boy Brow

Even Glossier haters can’t say sh*t about this one…boy brow was truly a game changer, was in every single fashion magazine when it came out, had a waitlist at one point because Glossier couldn’t keep it in stock, & continues to be their number one best-seller. When I first purchased boy brow, (my second Glossier purchase) I got it in brown. Now, they added another shade – clear – which I also love. I use clear when I just want to keep my brows in place with no added color, & brown when I really want my caterpillars to stand out. This goes on my face even if I’m wearing nothing else.

#BoyBrow. No matter what.Super Pure Serum

Part of the trio that makes up “The Supers” Super Pure has been my favorite since The Supers became available in September 2016. It’s perfect for my dry, sensitive skin – although it keeps my skin clear & reduces blemishes that I might have, its gel-like texture is soothing enough to reduce redness & doesn’t dry out my skin whatsoever. If you have dry but acne-prone skin, this serum is a great, great choice.

Almost out of this bottle! I have a backup.Mask Duo

I purchased these pretty early on in my Glossier “adventures.” They looked really appealing, & I liked the concept of using both at once: multi-masking, as I learned in one of Glossier’s “Get Ready With Me” videos on YouTube. Both of these masks have served me well. The Mega Greens Galaxy Pack Mask is a detoxing mask, made of clay, described as “a juice cleanse for your face.” It soaks up impurities, reduces redness, but isn’t too drying. Even if it is, though, the Moisturizing Moon Mask is the perfect follow-up. It also reduces redness, soothes skin, & can even be used as an overnight mask for extra moisture. It makes me look super dewy, & I love the smell – it’s like fresh yogurt, in the best possible way. The cute galactic doodles on the packaging also make them a pretty addition to your top shelf collection.

Galaxy, moon, & planet doodles on the Mask Duo packaging.Descriptions, & the amount you get – 3 fl oz. for each mask.A closer look at the texture. Mega Greens is a soft clay; Moon is a yogurt-like texture (& smells like it, too).Priming Moisturizer Rich

I squealed when Glossier released this moisturizer in January 2017. I live in the Midwest, where we have cold, dry, harsh winters. My dry skin does not take kindly to it, & I’m hard-pressed to find a moisturizer that keeps me from being painfully dry, red, & flaky during the winter. I found it with PMR. On my favs list on my rep page, I cannot get enough of PMR, especially during the winter. It feels like a super expensive, luxury cream, but only rings in at $35 – a good deal when no other cream except a $65 sample from Sephora does the job. This lasts a long time – I just ran out of my first jar (which was purchased in January) & am now on my second. I used it as a day & night cream during the dry winter, but now use a lighter moisturizer for the day as it’s hot & the air has more moisture. I still use it as my night cream, though – the smell is super fresh & soothing, I feel baby soft every time I apply it, & it reduces my redness I get around my nose. I bow down to PMR.

I hate blush. I truly hate it. With my super-fair skin, I feel like it never looks good – just clownish. The only blush I owned before Glossier released their Cloud Paint blushes in early spring was NARS Orgasm – mostly because of the name, I’ll admit it. It was pretty…but I was just so scared of putting on too much, & “looking a clown.” I usually would use it as an eyeshadow, & sometimes, hands shaking, would dare to slightly tap it onto the apples of my cheeks. Thankfully, NARS Orgasm is sheer, & shimmery, so it could always pass as a pink-y highlight if I made a few missteps.

Cloud Paint, however, changed my blush game. When they first came out, I ordered Puff, thinking that the rosey pink would suit my pink undertones best. When it came, I tried it on, &, yes! It was lovely. But I ended up getting all four, & when I put on Beam, I knew it was the one for me. Fun fact: my second favorite is Haze…both are the shades I got last, thinking I would like the least. Glossier got me once again.

This blush is the perfect summer shade – something that even I can’t mess up. It’s super sheer, but also very buildable; you can put on as much or as little as suits you. I like tapping a little bit onto the apples of my cheeks, blending into my highlight, & then – my favorite trick – put some on the bridge of my nose, & blend that out as well. It makes me look like I’ve been in the sun for a bit, minus the sun-damage & sweat.

I never thought I’d say I like an orange-y peachy coral shade for a blush. & yet, here I am, singing the praises of Cloud Paint in Beam. There’s a reason this sold out before all the other Cloud Paints: it looks good on everyone. Even me, your local Snow White.

There was a whole clamor to get the set, which cost $50, which I just didn’t have at the time, so I wistfully sighed over the lip gloss & highlight, & watched them disappear (nail polish, I miss you too).

Luckily, both are now available! I was excited when Moonstone became part of the permanent Haloscope shades, along with Quartz & Topaz, but I was especially excited when Glossier started hinting that their lip gloss might be making a return.

I was tired of the matte lip trend, tired of liquid lipsticks, & super tired of having to scrape paint off my lips whenever I did decide to go along with the current trend – so now that lip gloss was a thing, I jumped on the bus, & so did my dry lips. Besides…the packaging is gorgeous.

It’s simple, but…gorgeous. I like to call it the lava lamp of lip glosses. It’s clear (with a slight pink tint, but appears clear on the lips), oh-so-glossy, not sticky, not sparkly, & so moisturizing that I sometimes wear it as a lip mask at night. This isn’t an oily gloss that leaves lips parched. This stays for hours, fades gracefully (since it’s clear), & never, ever dries out my lips. I’m in love with it. I’m never going to be without it, ever again.

The signature “G,” a minimalistic packaging, a pink tint to the bottle, & those oh-so-satisfying bubbles.

Glossier lip gloss, & Glossier boy brow.

I can’t help but pout with it on

And there you have it. Those are my favorite Glossier products I’ve tried, ever. But also the haloscopes. &….the skin tint…maybe the stretch concealer?? But I promised you my absolute favorites. & these are it. For now. Maybe they’ll change, as Glossier continues to expand, & release more products that will steal my heart. But I doubt any product will replace Boy Brow, & although I’ve found other facial cleansers & serums that I like…you will always find these on my top shelf. & you’ll always find a Boy Brow on my makeup table (& one in my bag). Same goes for the lip gloss. & I use those masks at least once a week! (If you don’t believe me, follow me on Instagram, & watch my stories.)

But seriously…I know that there’s a lot of skepticism out there about Glossier reps, & whether we truly love the products we rave about. I can’t speak for all of us! But speaking for myself, I only share the Glossier products with you that I truly love, & that have truly worked for me. I’m not going to write a hate article about the products I don’t like as much, because other people love them! Everyone’s skin is different, & everyone has a different goal. That’s fine; great, even! But these are my personal favorites at the time that I type this, & I have no shame in sharing them with every single one of you.

That being said…shop with me at Glossier! Try out some of these products that I love…or, if all of these make you wrinkle your nose, try something else. We’re all different! & that’s a beautiful thing.